


The Cat's Meow

by RoseRose



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Animal Abuse, Animal Empathy, Cute cat, Getting Together, M/M, Tony Stark Bingo 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:40:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24242185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseRose/pseuds/RoseRose
Summary: Tony can hear animals' emotions, but he doesn't have the best experience with that ability. So, he ends up hating animals and banning pets from the Tower. Then Steve finds a bedraggled kitten and brings it home...
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 35
Kudos: 160
Collections: Tony Stark Bingo 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Nyx for the cheer-read!
> 
> For the Tony Stark Bingo
> 
> Title: The Cat's Meow  
> Collaborator Name: RoseRose  
> Card Number: 3057  
> Square Filled (Letter/number AND prompt): A1 Interspecies  
> Ship/Main Pairing: Steve/Tony  
> Rating: T  
> Major Tags: Animal Empathy, Animal Abuse, Angst with a Happy Ending  
> Summary: Tony can hear animals' emotions, but he doesn't have the best experience with that ability. So, he ends up hating animals and banning pets from the Tower. Then Steve finds a bedraggled kitten and brings it home...  
> Word Count 1360

Tony first learned he could hear animals when he was in his second term at MIT. It wasn’t a good thing; he thought he was losing his mind. Only years of practice hiding his feelings kept the entire campus from knowing something was wrong. But, no one yet knew him well enough to see past the mask. (James Rhodes was damn close, and maybe if it had been a year later, he would have, but their friendship was still too new at this point. So, unfortunately, Tony was alone.)

Intro to Biology was a required class for all science majors, and the first lab was the second week of term. Tony’s lab room was right next to the animal testing labs. More than that, his assigned lab table was right next to the wall, so the cages for the animals in the lab was close, maybe five feet away. Tony, though, didn’t know how close the cages were, all he knew was he suddenly heard multiple voices screaming in pain. But, no one else reacted, so he didn’t, either. The entire lab passed by on autopilot, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he moved to leave the lab and all the voices cut off.

Tony truly thought he was losing it until two things happened. The first is that he learned what the lab next door to his biology lab was. The second was that one of his dorm mates, in his full view, brought a dog into the dorm Tony felt more than heard an overeager happiness to go with the dog’s wagging tail, which is when he started to suspect, and he knew as soon as one of the other boys-men-boys in his dorm gave a cruel smile (the same smile he had the first day, when he attempted to make Tony cry and then stated his disappointment when he didn’t) and proceeded to kick the poor dog. That same cry of pain he heard every biology lab, except with a different voice, came rushing through his head. He carefully retreated to his dorm room.

Nothing changed. Maybe he switched biology lab partners so he was at a different table, but nothing changed.Now that he knew the occasional passing feeling had a source he noticed more feelings from outside himself. Still, they were typically short-lived so he ignored it. Nothing changed.

Until nothing changed when it all changed.

Years had passed, Rhodey had learned what he could do, but no one else knew. And he was in Afghanistan, in a cave, with a car battery hooked up to his chest. And he had no warning. The emotions of the animals hadn’t changed. There he was, about to be ambushed, and he didn’t feel a thing. There he was, lying wounded, and he could just feel hunger from something… he didn’t want to think about that. Here he was, in pain, being tortured, and the animals were normal. Happier than they had been when he was in biology in college. It wasn’t fair.

And maybe it wasn’t fair of him to blame the animals. But the one thing that might have provided comfort, the one thing of his not being used against him by the Ten Rings, gave him _nothing_. Not even comfort. Not even a mouse coming closer to possibly befriend. They just stayed away, living their lives while his irrevocably changed.

He came back from Afghanistan with an arc reactor in his chest and a deep, abiding hatred of animals. He never told anyone, not even Rhodey. It didn’t matter. It wasn’t like anyone was going to force him to interact with animals. He lived by himself in Malibu.

He thought back to that moment a few years later. He was sure if there was a higher power out there, it was laughing at him.

It had been a whim, that he invited all the Avengers to come live with him in his Tower in New York. Pepper would have said he was lonely. Tony was just curious. Okay, he wanted to science with Bruce, but as for the rest? It was a whim. A passing fancy that he couldn’t discard since he didn’t want to offend real people. They had a list of the rules of the Tower, it would all be good.

First on the list of rules? _**NO PETS**_.

It was his Tower. His Tower, with top of the line rodent and pest control. His Tower, which barely let people in, much less the strays of New York City. His Tower, where he could keep animals out. He didn’t like them, and he didn’t have to have them around. As long as the Avengers followed the rules. (He should have realized they liked following the rules about as much as he did- not at all.) They did listen for a while. They each had their own floors, all food was provided, his internet was faster than anywhere else in the world- no one wanted to ruin a good thing.

But then they grew more comfortable with each other. Someone was always dragging him away from tinkering for team dinners or movie nights. (He wasn’t hard to drag. He just liked knowing they cared enough to come get him, that they missed him when he wasn’t there.) And quickly, they grew closer. They started to learn the rough edges and how far the teasing could go.

But they never learned about the animals. Why should they? There were no animals around.

The places that gave them nightmares and led to the nighttime television marathons, well, those came out in cracked pieces, the ones that were needed to banish the fear and allow another night’s sleep. (They never touched the arc reactor, not after that time he fell asleep on the couch and nearly decapitated Clint for poking it, before he was even all the way awake. They never talked about it. But then, no one mentioned how the heat always ticked up a few degrees when Steve entered a room, or that _The Nutcracker Suite_ was banned on pain of Natasha, or how when Tony suggested _Dumbo_ for movie night, Clint’s hand shook when he said no, or why Bruce always, _always_ left when Tony brought out tequila. Tony didn’t drink Tequila anymore.) Slowly, they learned how not to hurt each other.

Sometimes, that terrified Tony. They knew his vulnerabilities, they could take advantage of them.

That was why he was so surprised when the hurt came, it wasn’t to one of those points. It was to the one vulnerability that he was absolutely sure no one knew about it. Later, he recognized it as an accident, but at the time, it was just pain and betrayal. Especially because it came from Steve. (He was in love with Steve. He hadn’t admitted it to anyone yet, but he was completely in love with the man, and every bit of teasing was pigtail pulling on his part, and he knew it.)

Steve brought home a kitten. A bedraggled, homeless, tiny kitten. Tony didn’t even think when he first saw it. “Get that thing out of here!!!”

And then he saw the look on Steve’s face. The disappointment and hurt, that Tony was kicking out a creature without a home. But Tony couldn’t do anything else. Just seeing the cat was giving him flashbacks. Not to Afghanistan, but to that dog in college. But then Steve, well, then Steve said something that Tony wasn’t sure if he would ever forgive.

“No. This kitten, I named her Alloy, by the way, has nowhere to go. You gave me a home, I’m going to give her a home. You have plenty of space here, it doesn’t matter.”

Tony couldn’t say another word. He turned on his heel and left the room. (Later, he would regret not telling JARVIS to not let the kitten off Steve’s floor. Even later than that, he would be grateful he didn’t.)

That night, he woke several times due to nightmares. He didn’t join the TV marathon. This time, he wasn’t going to answer any questions. His generosity had betrayed him, again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: The Cat's Meow Chapter 2  
> Collaborator Name: RoseRose  
> Card Number: 3057  
> Square Filled (Letter/number AND prompt): R5 Attacked By a Creature  
> Ship/Main Pairing: Steve/Tony  
> Rating: T  
> Major Tags: Animal Empathy, Animal Abuse, Angst with a Happy Ending  
> Summary: Tony can hear animals' emotions, but he doesn't have the best experience with that ability. So, he ends up hating animals and banning pets from the Tower. Then Steve finds a bedraggled kitten and brings it home...  
> Word Count: 2616

The next day, the elevator stopped at Tony’s floor, and opened, with that grey kitten emerging before Tony even managed to ask JARVIS what’s up. And so, Tony went to scoop the kitten up and put her on the elevator back to Steve’s floor (he may hate animals, but he isn’t going to do anything to her. Not even get rid of her behind Steve’s back) when he feels it. The rush of absolute adoration.

He had never felt anything like it before.

Tony had no idea where the sudden rush of feeling came from, but it was time for the kitten to go back to Steve. He put her on the elevator, and was shocked that the feeling of adoration slowly faded as the elevator moved away. As the adoration faded, his own anger rushed in. How dare she? How dare _he?_ The kitten came and invaded his sanctum, forced her feelings on him. But she didn’t know, so he was only a bit bitter about that. But Steve- Steve brought the kitten in knowing his rule, guilted him into letting her stay, and then didn’t keep her away even knowing how he felt. Tony was _furious._

He was also self-aware enough to know that if he yelled at Captain America about a homeless kitten, he would come off as the bad guy. So, the best option was to fort up in the workshop. Rhodey was overseas, or else he’d be having a long bitch session with him, because only Rhodey would understand any of it, and even he didn’t know all of it. But nope. All he could do was ban the kitten from the workshop and not leave.

Until he ran out of coffee.

“JARVIS?”

“Yes, Sir?”

“Are any Avengers on the common floor?”

“No, Sir. All the Avengers appear to be asleep as it is 3 in the morning. Would you like to go up to your penthouse?”

“No, J. Off to the common room for more coffee.”

“Yes, Sir.” Tony marveled at how his AI could sound disappointed with just two words. Still, the elevator brought him up to the empty common room. Or, well, empty of Avengers. Tony was preparing his coffee when something soft and warm rubbed up against his ankle and he was again filled with the feeling of adoration, this time with a side of happy excitedness. 

Tony was again taken by surprise. “Why do you like me? Animals hate me. You’re the first to get close. They never get close. Just… stay away. Stay away like all the rest.” Tony’s voice started loud but grew quieter over the course of the rant as he backed away into the elevator with his coffee, so focused on the kitten that he thought he imagined the voice calling out the cat’s name as the elevator door closed.

As soon as he reached the workshop, Tony buried himself in his latest project. He was absolutely not going to think about how good it felt to have that much love and adoration focused on him. He also wasn’t going to think about how cute the little fluffball was. He especially wasn’t going to think about how the name was something he loved. No. He was just going to do his work and forget about Al-the kitten.

Eventually, the caffeine ran out, and Tony was not yet ready to risk venturing into the common floor again, so he ended up crashed out on the couch. Except this time, instead of nightmares, there were pleasant dreams of snuggling something small and furry, and even one that started as an Afghanistan nightmare but instead of ending like normal, a kitten, one strongly resembling Alloy, came and bit Raza. That image was surprisingly healing.

When he woke up, he was perhaps a little less inclined to run away from Alloy. Seeing Captain America or any of his other teammates was still out of the question. He didn’t really want to argue, but they had all ignored his wishes in his own house. Maybe they had a good reason, and maybe he wasn’t listening, but still. It hurt. And he wasn’t going to be able to see any of them, especially Capsicle, without them asking about his reaction. And he absolutely was not ready for that. He wasn’t sure if he would ever be ready for that, but sometime soon he’d at least be ready to avoid the subject without yelling. Right now, he doubted he could even do that.

Still. He needed more coffee.

Of course, it was nearly 20 hours later that the common room was empty. And Tony had consumed no caffeine and had no sleep in that time. So, again, he went up, and Alloy was there, already, in the common room. Apparently he’d only asked JARVIS about people, not animals. Still, she was cute, and the coffee wouldn’t heat instantly. So, while the water was heating, he sat down on the couch and started to pet her. She snuggled up against him, and her purring was absolutely soothing, as was the love that he felt pouring off of her. Before the coffee was done, his eyes slipped shut.

When he woke the next morning, it was to Clint snapping a picture, and Steve smiling. Alloy was sleeping on his chest, so he couldn’t get up and storm off the way he wanted. As he reached up to scoop Alloy off gently, Steve opened his mouth.

“See, Tony, she isn’t so bad.”

Tony instantly saw red. “No, _she_ may not be, but you are. You fucking ignored my wishes, ran over my desires, and just had to get your way without ever even _thinking_ I might have a reason for my rules. I gave you a place to stay, and it’s not like I ask for much in return! How dare you act like this is nothing?!”

“Woah, man, you’re overreacting..” Clint started to say. All his statement did was rile Tony up further.

“Overreacting? _Overreacting_? For getting angry when my express wishes were disregarded?”

“Dude, you have the money for it!” Clint’s words had Tony scooping Alloy off and starting to stalk towards him.

“Clint, _money_ isn’t the only reason someone might not want a pet.” Tony’s voice was dripping with malice. His stalking was stopped, however, by Clint’s next statement.

“No, but it might be a reason why someone who wanted a pet might never have had one.” Tony sighed. Clint wasn’t even the one he needed to have this discussion with. Also, he’d come too far in saying his feelings. He needed coffee, otherwise he’d reveal more. But for coffee, he had to stay around these two. Wait. There was one more option.

“JARVIS, what time is it?”

“Sir, it is 1 PM.”

Perfect. Without another word, Tony left the common room and took the elevator down to the exit. He was going to get coffee and not have to deal with his teammates. During the walk, his phone rang.

“Rhodeybear! How are you?”

“I’m fine, Tones, how are you?”

“Capsicle brought a _cat_ home! And I’m starting to like the cap, I mean cat!”

Tony could hear Rhodey choking back a laugh. “It’s not funny, honeybear! It was the one rule. Maybe the cat isn’t so bad, but how could he _do_ that to me?”

A sigh came down the phone line. “Tony, have you tried talking to him about it? Anything about why?”

“No. Why should I? No one knows that secret.”

“Because you like Steve. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have let him keep the cat.”

“No, I let him keep the cat because I didn’t want to deal with people thinking I’d kick out a defenseless kitten!”

Rhodey sighed. “Tony, if it was just not kicking out the kitten, you’d have found her a good home. Nope. You didn’t want to disappoint Steve. So maybe go tell him why you reacted the way you did? Or at least stop avoiding him?”

If Tony took the phone away from his ear and looked at it suspiciously, there was no one to tell on him. “How did you know I was avoiding Capacabana?”

“I didn’t. I suspected, and you just confirmed. Stop it, Tony. I’m fairly sure it won’t be as bad as you think.”

“Okay, honeybear. Now you tell me what you’ve been up to.” Their conversation took Tony through Starbucks and back to the Tower. In fact, he was so distracted talking to Rhodey he didn’t realize until he walked out onto the common room floor he’d ended up there, instead of the workshop.

“Hi Tony!” Clint was very observant, and Tony cursed that fact.

Talking into the phone, Tony said, “Bye, Rhodeybear!” before turning to see what was going on. The entire team, minus Thor who was still on Asgard, was in the common room. Natasha was the first one to speak.

“We were actually just about to call you. All of us ended up here, so we decided to have an impromptu movie afternoon, and we wanted you to join us.”

Tony decided in the interest of not getting a lecture from Rhodey, he’d stick around for the movie. “What’s the movie?”

Clint grinned. “It’s time to introduce Steve to _The Princess Bride_.”

“That one’s always worth a rewatch.” Tony flopped himself onto the open chair, rather than the empty space next to Steve. Did the Captain seem a little disappointed? No matter, he wasn’t avoiding people, and it was a good movie.

As the movie went on, Tony became engrossed not only with the movie, but with watching Steve. He was enjoying the movie, and he was gorgeous when he laughed. Tony rewound his own thoughts. Did he like the Captain? He was so distracted with the sudden realization (Somewhere, James Rhodes had a feeling of satisfaction without knowing the source) that he failed to notice the kitten beside him until she was on his lap, sending waves of adoration, love, and contentment. Tony started petting the cat absentmindedly as the movie came to its end.

“See, I told you Alloy wouldn’t be a problem!” Apparently Steve noticed the cat. And his statement made Tony instantly angry again. However, this time, enough of his barriers and walls were down for him to actually say some of how he felt.

“Capsicle, it _doesn’t matter_ that the cat and I are getting along now. You ignored my _express_ wishes and disregarded my feelings on the matter. Did you ever think I might have reasons for my rules? Why should I listen to you now? You don’t respect me.” Once Tony realized that he said all that, he managed to close his mouth, but knew doing anything else would weaken his already- wobbly position (or so he thought.) Then Steve surprised him.

Steve’s face fell, looking devastated. “You’re right, Tony. I’m sorry. I just saw the kitten, needing a home, and didn’t think about your rules. And then, when you looked ready to kick the kitten out, all I could see was something that needed help. I didn’t see that I was hurting you, and that’s my fault. I’m so sorry.”

That sincerity would be the death of him. Tony didn’t want to forgive Steve, he really didn’t, but the apology was sincere, and perfect, not trying to pass off blame at all, just explaining how it happened. Still, he wasn’t quite ready to let go. He fled to the workshop, again, wordless.

Once there, he asks JARVIS, “Can I see the common room?”

“You could have seen it if you had just _stayed_ , Sir”

“Did I ask for sass, J?” JARVIS was silent as turned on the view from the cameras in the common room. Steve had sunk into a couch, head in his hands. Through the audio feed, Tony could hear him.

“What have I done? He’ll never forgive me. I really didn’t listen, and he clearly has his reasons.” Steve was actually shaking. Tony reached out towards the display without realizing what he was doing, then jerked his hand back as he noticed.

Clint tried to reassure Steve. “You couldn’t have known it was a big deal-” Steve cut him off.

“Yes I could. What was the very first rule on the list when we moved in? No pets. And I didn’t listen. And Clint, you weren’t any better than I was.”

Clint started shaking her head, and Natasha interjected. “Yes, Steve’s right. And Steve’s apologized. You’re going to need to think of an apology, too.” Clint looked mutinous and stormed off. Still, Clint wasn’t the one Tony was worried about.

Steve stood up. “I’m going to try to think of a way to make up things to Tony. I’m not sure how, but I’m going to think.”

Tony also had a lot to think about.

After a morning of meetings at SI, Tony ended up in the common room for lunch. Steve was there. “Tony, I’m so sorry. Please let me make this up to you. First, here’s lunch, on me.” Placing lunch from Tony’s favorite burger place on the table, Steve sat down across from Tony.

Lunch was a silent affair, Tony thinking the whole situation over, Steve just sitting there nervously. Eventually, the food was gone, and they were left there, staring at each other.

Tony let out a long sigh. “I might be ready to amend the pets rule, but that’s just because of Alloy, here. I had my reasons. I’m not ready to share those reasons, but I had them. Still, I guess I can forgive you. But now, time to be off to work!” Tony was done with emotions, and quickly fled to his workshop where instead of getting work done, he analyzed his feelings for Steve. Eventually he fell asleep on the couch.

The next day, he decided he was up to going to the common room for his coffee. Steve was there, looking nervous the minute he caught sight of Tony. Tony could actually see him squaring his shoulders and gathering his nerves. What the hell could he want? Then Steve started talking, and Tony was _floored_.

“Tony, well, I was actually going to ask this the day I brought Alloy home, but that seemed to end up not going so well so I changed my mind and well, what I really wanted to say was that I like you and Tony doyouwantogoonadatewithme?”

“Huh?” Tony was absolutely unsure if he heard correctly.

“You forgave me yesterday. Have you forgiven me enough that you would go on a date with me?” Steve’s voice grew steadier. “You’re wonderful and amazing, and even took in a cat I know you didn’t want. I’d love to go out with you.”

“ _You_ want to go out with _me?_ ” Tony did not quite shriek, but his voice held a definite level of incredulousness.

“Yes, Tony. I do. Do you?” Steve started smiling, like he realized Tony wanted him.

“Of course! I’m not an idiot, who would say no to _you_?” Tony didn’t think before he answered.

“Dinner? Tomorrow at 7?” The grin on Steve’s face could light up the entire room. Tony’s heart was fluttering, not helped by the sudden appearance of Alloy and a huge amount of love. If Steve cared even a quarter of the amount his cat did, this would go well.

“Sure, Steve. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll tell you a bit of why I don’t like animals.” Afghanistan wasn’t a story for tomorrow, but the lab rats? Yeah. Giving Steve a crusade seemed like an appropriate first date gift, anyway.

Now Tony just needed to call Rhodey and yell at him for always being right.


End file.
